Thank All of you

How do you like the weekly writing prompts? Are they interesting or boring? Inspirational or weird? Are they related to your life? Can you suggest anything better and give some examples?

There are six questions in this week so I use Q and A format to answer these questions orderly. Firstly, I think that the range of our weekly prompts is wide. From learning, families, pop singers to life inspirations, social problems and reflections, almost every issue has something to do with our personal lives. Frankly speaking, several tasks are a bit difficult to me like collaborative learning in week five. But it is what makes the tasks more challenging and informative than any other writing projects I have ever engaged in. That is, these weekly tasks provide my key pal and me learning opportunities. And, our cooperation on the blog proves that my key pal and I are capable to face the unknown or unclear data and learn from them. In my opinions, the writing tasks we have done so far are designed elaborately. The subjects of tasks interests both students and teachers since they do not only deal with learning but life experiences. In a word, we can enrich our learning strategies and spiritual life at the same time.

Secondly, I find some similarities in task eleven (self evaluation and peer review) and task thirteen (reflection). I personally think that question one in task eleven and question two in task thirteen are alike. Moreover, their dates are near. The similarity makes me feel a little weird. I suggest that if we have to score ourselves, we can do once in the midterm and twice in the final week.

Finally, there is another suggestion I want to give. I deem it proper to give about three or four questions in a task. More than four questions will make people get confused. Furthermore, I think that if we want to show our opinions deeply and abundantly. Three or four questions are ideal because sometimes students write less or just discuss superficially if too many questions are given. Besides, I find it difficult to write my thoughts into an article when more than four questions are provided. I often feel “get lost” in lines and can hardly arrange my ideas into an essay because some questions are short but some are composed of several questions. This is why I use Q and A format to write the task this time.




Do you like the two-way online discussion with your keypal? Or do you think we should have more people (like 3~4 students) form a group blog to exchange ideas? Why or why not?

I feel comfortable to discuss with my key pal and get used to the two-way online discussion. But I think it ok if the third person is added. Maybe we can try three-people group in next semester. However, four people are too many for online discussion. Frankly speaking, I personally prefer to the two-way discussion. “Two heads are better than one.” As the saying goes, I think that two is a suitable number for online group discussion.

First, if there are four members in a group, the opinions in the blog may become complicated than two-people group’s blog. As I mention in the question one, many short and complex questions confuse the writer to organize the order of an essay. Similarly, when over three people’s ideas all put in one page, the page layout possibly turns into a mess. And, I don’t mean that two or three people can avoid the chaos. As a matter of fact, two-way discussion is like catching and throwing a ball. The blogger throw his or her insights. The blogger’s key pal catches it and then throws his or her ideas. Each of them knows where the ball goes. However, in four people’s game, there are four people to throw four balls in different directions. In sum, two-people group makes the interaction easier and clearer than four-people one.

Second, even some consider that more people represent that we have more ideas and we can discuss an issue from various sides. Nevertheless, two people can do so, too. A person might have different thoughts toward a topic. Two people might have more comments than one. Besides, two-way communication leaves much room to be discussed. In two people’s discussion, each one can think more than four people because they do not have to afraid that their ideas are repeated and are more willing to write a lot.




Have you encountered any difficulties during the semester when using blogs to discuss with your keypal, e.g., computer problems or anything?

The difficulties I have encountered are word limit and expressions. At first, I find it difficult to reach the words limit. In task one, I really write not enough. But, as the time goes by, I feel it more difficult to end my paragraph. That is to say, I have many thoughts to write but I have written a lengthy paragraph. I know that if I continue to write, my key pal may feel hard to see my essay or lose the focus. As a result, I decide to essentialize my ideas. Nevertheless, summarizing my thoughts is more difficult than giving a paragraph an end. I feel like taking the wrong train in Taipei but the train is non stop to Kenting.

When it comes to expression, I often worry that my key pal cannot understand what I am writing about. For this reason, I try my best to explain my ideas briefly and clearly. Also, I use some simile to make my writing specific. For instance, in task two, I use an iceberg and a volcano to show my mother and my emotions. Also, in question above, there are examples like ball game and train. Hopefully, my key pal and instructors will understand my expressions.




How do you like the project website? Are they friendly enough? Have we left out any important content? How do you like the layout/design?

I have to say that the name the project website is extremely ingenious and appropriate. “The right to write” sounds rhyming and creative. Certainly, the web design is also fine. The pictures in every task are lovely. Especially the reindeer in task thirteen’s topic, it looks innocent, dull and cute. (Is it drawn by tutors?) But there is still something to be desired in the design of weekly buttons. Weekly task time line is clear and user-friendly. However, the time line will look better if the designer put the topic near the week. For example, the designer can put “reflection” near the “week thirteen’s” button. In this way, students can easy to find each topic with each week. If anyone who want to find a topic, he or she does not need to find it with memory. Users can merely check the weekly task time line and find the topic. After all, the topics are simpler to search than task numbers. Also, if the designer put the topic on weekly buttons, students and key pals can know the latest news of tasks with convenience. Even bloggers can know that a new task is put on the website through click on the time line or check the e-mail, the way I mention above is clearer and faster than traditional methods. And in some special case like a pause of a task can just put an “X” on the button, and students will know it promptly. Moreover, it can let users will not miss each task after several week’s break.




What have you gained from this blog activity?
Actually, I gain much respectively from my key pal, my classmates and tutors. My key pal, Faith, really inspires me a lot. Her life and teaching experiences are special for me since she has started her work as an English teacher for many years. And, she is a hard-working mother. In other words, Faith has more sufficient experience without respect to life or learning than me. I think that she broadens my horizon through her comments on blog. Diligence, open mind, patience and consideration are what I learn from her. And many other things I have gained are beyond words. The most thankful thing for her is that she has patience to read my long paragraph. I really appreciate her consideration. Creativity is what I learn from my classmates. Their blog’s presence, their paragraphs and their ways of discussion influence my writing and communication with my key pal. After visiting my peers’ blogs, some new ideas will come to my mind and turn into my writing. Professor and tutor’s topic and web design also motivate me to write. If they do not design such a blog project, I will not have chance to gain so much. I think the three sides I mention above are like Muse, encouraging me to seize the “right to write.”




If you had an opportunity to start over, would you have done anything differently? If so, how?
I will not rewrite my paragraph since these paragraph record my improvement in writing. But if we have an opportunity to start another round blog activity, I will keep on working hard to what I lack, getting the point of each task and expressing ideas in clear ways. What is more, owing to many activities this semester like cheer leader team and drama performance, I do not post and respond my key pal with efficiency especially at first. I think that I surely have to write with good contents, order, and punctuality if we have new project.

Eventually, thank you for my key pal, my classmates, professors, tutors and any other visitors to read such a lengthy paragraph and thank you for the participation.